>The net effect was a lot of poorer EU citizens did go to the UK to essentially go on welfare because it was more than they could reasonably earn (if they could

>The net effect was a lot of poorer EU citizens did go to the UK to essentially go on welfare because it was more than they could reasonably earn (if they could even get jobs) in their home countries. And the UK could have easily told them off. [2] >"The Court of Justice points out that, under the [EU freedom of movement] directive, the host member state is not obliged to grant social assistance during the first three months of residence," the ruling reads. >In case people stay longer than three months but less than five years and have no job, they "must have sufficient resources on their own," the court added. >"A member state must therefore have the possibility of refusing to grant social benefits to economically inactive Union citizens who exercise their right to freedom of movement solely in order to obtain another member state’s social assistance although they do not have sufficient resources to claim a right of residence," the judges ruled. >And that situation is untenable. [3] EEA (EU+) migrants are contributing more than native citizens, if you believe a study cited by the bbc >So now the EU doesn't want any discussions on trade and other issues until the UK agrees to a "divorce settlement". The problems with this tactic are that the UK handing over huge sums of cash to the EU was second to immigration as a reason for people to vote Leave and, more importantly, how can you agree on a price for something and then go on to negotiate what you've bought? Afaik the EU position is, that the divorce bill isn't a price for what the UK will get, it is what the UK owes from its time as a member. [1] >The EU hasn’t officially asked for any particular sum of money, but does say that “the United Kingdom must honour its share of the financing of all the obligations undertaken while it was a member”. >The EU actually needs the money from the UK to balance their own budget so the EU has got a lot to lose here. But if the EU can deal with the loss of UK money, this would also end the whole UK special deal stuff. [1] https://fullfact.org/europe/eu-divorce-bill/ https://fullfact.org/europe/eu-divorce-bill/ [2] https://euobserver.com/justice/126466 https://euobserver.com/justice/126466 [3] http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-24813467 http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-24813467